Jason Kelce has announced his retirement from the NFL. The 36-year-old has called time on a legendary 13-year career.
An emotional Kelce confirmed this at a press conference on Monday. A six-time First-Team All-Pro, seven-time Pro Bowl selection, and Super Bowl champion, Kelce will go down in history as one of the greatest Philadelphia Eagles of all time. Moreover, Kelce will go down as one of the NFL's best offensive linemen.
The University of Cincinnati product has generated plenty of on-field and off-field headlines throughout his career. Here is DAZN's list of great moments from Jason Kelce's career.
Super Bowl win and Super Bowl speech
The Philadelphia Eagles' run to victory at Super Bowl 52 is one of the NFL's most incredible stories. The Eagles raced to an NFC-best 13-3 record, but that only tells half the story. Critical injuries to Jason Peters and quarterback Carson Wentz threatened to derail the season.
Backup quarterback Nick Foles came in and led the Eagles to a wild Super Bowl win over the New England Patriots. It was Philadelphia's first Super Bowl win, and it was an emotional win.
Over one million people spilt onto the streets for Philly's championship parade. There, Kelce etched his name alongside Philadelphia legends like Chase Utley, Mike Schmidt, and Allen Iverson.
On the famous Rocky steps, Kelce took to the microphone dressed in a local Mummer's outfit. And the center dropped a wrestling-style promo that Stone Cold Steve Austin would have been proud of.
Kelce became Philadelphia's modern-day icon—a figurehead, leading its team and city. There will never be another Super Bowl speech like Kelce's.
Breaking an Eagles record
In October 2023, Kelce broke the Eagles' record for most consecutive games started. Kelce started 145 straight games for Philadelphia. It was a testament to his toughness, desire and relentless hunger for playing football. The last time Kelce missed a game was in 2014.
Teammate and fellow offensive lineman Lane Johnson said, "He (Jason) is tough as a shovel. It comes down to his demeanour. He does not want to miss time or put a backup in and have that affect the team. He really takes that to heart."
Mastering the Tush Push
The Tush Push is the NFL's most controversial play. The Eagles have made this modified quarterback sneak a brutally effective play. And Kelce has been pivotal to the success of it.
Labelled as 'undersized' for a Center, Kelce's low centre of gravity, powerful lower half, and agility helped make the Tush Push a nearly unstoppable play.
Kelce redefined Ccenter play. His athleticism, open-field blocking and reliable snapping made him a consistently excellent performer. Sunday Night Football co-commentator Cris Collinsworth branded Kelce as the greatest center of all time.
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